Jones and Rogers
by avamclean
Summary: The Doctor was a bit like a child as far as Martha was concerned.


**Title: **Jones and Rogers

**Rating**: FR13

**Disclaimer**: Doctor Who and all related characters are copyright Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber, Donald Wilson and BBC One. No infringement intended. Captain America and all related characters are copyright of Marvel Entertainment, Paramount Pictures and Stan Lee. No infringement intended.

**Prompt**: "_Can I please have Martha/Steve Rogers?" _by kerrykhat

**Synopsis**: The Doctor was a bit like a child as far as Martha was concerned.

* * *

An exasperated breath escaped Martha Jones as the Doctor stopped, not for the first time, to examine a bit of building (or sidewalk or streetcar or any other such normal thing) instead of continuing on a straight path to Liberty Island and the TARDIS. For one peculiar reason or another he was finding this corner of the Lower East Side fascinating as all get out while Martha was more than ready to leave 1930s Manhattan behind.

She watched as he disappeared down another alley, trench coat fluttering behind him, and with a roll of her brown eyes she turned to lean against the nearest building to wait him out rather than traipse after him again. Martha was more than willing to follow the Doctor into any adventure, but she wasn't nearly as thrilled to hear him prattle (yes, prattle) on about the architecture or how there was something nagging him about the scent of the air that night. Nothing unusual about the scent of the place as far as she was concerned; large cities with a larger populace all tended to smell the same.

"Move it along, girl."

A frown tugged Martha's brows together as she straightened away from the wall and turned to see two men casually strolling towards her. The stiffness in their shoulders, tightened her own and she lifted her gaze to theirs and didn't at all like what she found there, but struggled for civility as she offered, "Just waiting for a friend."

Blue eyes swept over her and her attire and found her lacking, if she was rightly reading the twisting of his mouth, and his response cemented the notion, "I don't think you'd have many _friends _in this neighborhood."

He stressed the word 'friends,' making it ugly and Martha tucked her arms up around her as she replied, voice tight, "I assure you I do."

"Assure?" His companion laughed, a high-pitched nasal of a sound that had Martha grimacing as he continued, "How does a—"

"Is there a problem here?" The soft interruption drew the two men around and Martha's gaze past them to take notice of a child standing a few feet behind her aggressors with a bag of groceries tucked tight under an arm. He was small, painfully so, and standing brave, regardless or not of her need for him, before men nearly three times his size. He turned blue eyes, far kinder than the accosting man, on Martha and questioned, "Are you alright, Miss?"

"_Miss_?"

Nasal Voice parroted the moniker and the two men fell into laughter which was ignored as the boy made his way around them, wisely giving the pair a wide berth as he did so, before taking a spot beside Martha. Not in front as she'd had expected of him and made them a pair of their own to face off against the other two. She kept her chin high and gaze narrowed on the pair as they in turn studied them and Martha felt, more than saw, the boy place his groceries down beside them. She took a moment to glance down at him and her brows rose at the sight of his raised fists.

"Now I don't think violence is the answer here." She turned her gaze back to the pair of chucklers and asked, "Do you?"

The questioned brought on another outburst of laughter and Martha's arms uncrossed, letting them dangle beside her as she inclined her head and decided to wait them out quietly. She did take a moment to notice the boy's eyes never wavered from the men and his tiny fists remained high in the air.

"Hello, friend."

The casual greeting had Martha taking her gaze off the two men and offered her companion a waned smile. "Hello, Doctor."

"Fascinating brickwork on that one," He jerked his chin towards the building behind them before turning his gaze on the boy beside her and greeted, "And hello there. I'm the Doctor," and offered him his hand.

Blue eyes flicked towards Martha before the boy's shoulders dropped, his fist following suit and he accepted the handshake. Martha's lips twitched when she noticed they had similar sized wrists (tiny things really) before the boy stated, in that same quiet voice, "Steve."

"Steve, is it?" The questioned calmed the two chucklers behind them and Martha turned to keep sight of them even as the Doctor prattled on (again). "I've always liked the name Steve. It's a good name. A strong name." A wink dropped the Doctor's left eye and Martha raised a brow even as the Doctor turned his attention to her. "Don't you agree, Martha?"

"I do." She stated quickly when the boy turned a confused look her way before taking his hand back.

"What do you think, gentlemen?" The question was now directed at the two men who'd grown quiet and watchful of their small group's interaction.

Nasal Voice cleared his throat, appeared to be cowed by the addition of the Doctor, which if Martha was being honest irked her just a bit, but it was his companion that shrugged a shoulder and replied, "A common name for a common child."

The insult narrowed Martha's eyes, but before she could retort the Doctor's amused voice questioned, "Common name?" He pondered the idea a moment before nodding, "Perhaps, but Steve here is nothing short of extraordinary."

A snort exploded from the arrogant prat even as Nasal Voice decided he'd grown bored, or perhaps unnerved by the Doctor's unflappable personality, and began to walk away from their group. Blue eyes followed him before he stopped in front of Steve and offered him, as if he cared, "Now don't let this man be filling your head, kid. You've got a long way to grow before—"

"I'll agree to that." The Doctor interrupted, full of determination and spirit and Martha watched as the prat shook his head and walked away before the Doctored turned that fanaticism on Steve. "You, sir, are worth ten of them."

The boy frowned up at the Doctor before giving him an uncertain nod and Martha smiled at him. "And I'll agree to that."

That frown became a hesitant smile before he stepped back from them and stooped to pick on his groceries. He straightened and met Martha's gaze with his serious one as he stated, "I'm glad there wasn't a problem, Miss." He nodded his head. "Have a good night."

Martha watched him walk away, an amused smile tugging at the corners of her mouth before she grabbed the Doctor's arm and led (see dragged) him down the street and, hopefully, back towards the TARDIS. Her voice was even as she stated, "I was more than capable of handling that."

"Oh I know." She could hear the grin in his tone as he continued, "I just wanted to meet Steve."

"Right. Of course." Her steps faltered, dragging them both to a stop as she turned to frown at him, "I'm sorry?"

The Doctor sent her an amused look before he clarified, "Our friend who is one day to be Captain Steve Rogers of the United States Armed Forces."

With a brow raised in his direction Martha repeated, "Capt. Steve Rogers of…" She trailed off as her eyes widened and she realized that name was certainly familiar. "Get out!"

"We are out," was the Doctor's cheeky retort before he in turn grabbed her arm and once again began leading.

"I just met Captain America!"

"You did."

"Ha! Brilliant," they continued on another few steps before a frown tugged at her brow and she stated, voice suddenly confused, "But he's so tiny!"

* * *

The end.


End file.
